The Adventures of Sir Balin the Ill-Fated by Gerald Morris
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012, 94 pp., $14.99

Fantasy
ISBN: 978-0-547-68085-9

On the day of Balin’s christening, he was pronounced ill-fated. He would be the noblest knight in England who would also bring misfortune and calamity to all. He would also bring down two kingdoms and destroy the knight he loves the most. Young Balin lived by the prophecy, avoiding contact with King Arthur or his brother Sir Balan, only to find fate helping him in defeating the evil and saving the good. In the end, he decided that he would make his way.

This story of a knight is filled with dark and absurdist humor. It features brotherly love between Sir Balin and Sir Balan. It has a warm, happy ending with a surprising twist.

Linda Sun
Hong Kong

The Ballad of Jesse Pearl by Shannon Hitchcock
Namelos, 2012, 140 pp., $9.95

Historical American Fiction
ISBN: 978-1-608-98142-7

Using a rural dialect of North Carolina, Hitchcock exposes readers to family life and traditions in the early 1920s. Fourteen-year-old Jesse Pearl plans to become a teacher during a time when women are expected to marry. She still hears her deceased mother’s voice encouraging her to continue her education. Unfortunately, Jesse must put her dreams aside to care for an older sister who suddenly comes down with tuberculosis. With that comes the sudden responsibility of caring for all of the males in the family— her father, her sister’s husband, and her sister’s newborn son—and “traditional women’s work” is not Jesse’s forte. To complicate matters, Jesse has real feelings for a local boy who is also interested in her, but who has a nemesis who gets her nose in Jesse’s business in more ways than one. This debut novel is packed with much to think and talk about and is a nice addition to the growing collection of charming Southern YA literature; the author will present at the ALAN Workshop in Boston.

Joan Kaywell
Tampa, FL

The Bell Bandit by Jacqueline Davis
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2012, 174 pp., $15.99

Realistic Fiction
ISBN: 978-0-547-56737-2

Evan and Jessie always spend their Christmas at their grandma’s and ring the New Year bell with the rest of the town. This year, there has been a fire at grandma’s house and the bell has gone missing. Moreover, grandma is suffering from memory loss and sporadically forgets who Evan and Jessie are. Evan and Jessie struggle to understand her condition, but they realize this holiday season is going to be rough.

The traumatic fire turns out to be a transformational event for this family. When one family member is in trouble, others jump in and help. Evan takes up the job of reconstructing grandma’s house while Jessie solves the mystery of the missing bell. They work together, take care of each other, and restore peace at their grandma’s house.

Linda Sun
Hong Kong

Brianna on the Brink by Nicole McInnes
Holiday House, 2013, 170 pp., $16.95

Realistic Fiction/Identity
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2741-3

Brianna has never felt like part of a family. Her mother kicked her out on her sixteenth birthday, and now she lives with her sister, who pays more attention to her loser boyfriend than Brianna. At least at school, Brianna feels like she fits in. She has worked hard to be a popular, bad-girl cheerleader who everyone respects. All of this changes when Brianna has a disastrous one-night stand with a man she didn’t know was married to her English teacher.

TLeft deserted by her family and friends in the wake of her mistake, Brianna learns to accept help from the teacher she hurt so badly. Through this experience, she learns to let down her guard and become a part of a real, loving family. Brianna may teeter on the brink of bad decision making and its consequences, but she learns how to catch herself before she falls.

Laura Cockman
Fishers, IN

Bruised by Sarah Skilton
St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013, 288 pp., $17.99

Romance/Identity
ISBN: 978-1-250-01257-9

Eleanor is the new girl in 1986 Omaha; Park reluctantly allows her to sit by him on the school bus to save her from harassment by his cruel classmates. Park is small and Asian, which might make him the butt of jokes; however, his taekwondo training gives him credibility. His mom is Korean, and his dad married her when he was in the Army; handsome and athletic older brother Josh seems to be the favorite at home. Eleanor, who is gawky and red-headed, has just been allowed back home by her alcoholic and abusive stepdad Richie. He has beaten Eleanor’s mom into submission while the four young siblings cower in silence.

A poignant romance, originally based on comic books and punk rock, slowly develops for the truly star-crossed misfit couple. The two play out a familiar, yet suspenseful, drama told from their alternating viewpoints—a spellbinding young adult romance.

Judith A. Hayn
Little Rock, AR

Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario
Delacorte, 2013, 240 pp., $17.99

Nonfiction
ISBN: 978-0-385-74327-3

An adaptation for young readers of Nazario’s original 2006 adult work, the book is subtitled “The True Story of a Boy Determined to Reunite with His Mother.” Based on a series of Pulitzer Prize-winning articles, it is a disturbing, yet uplifting, story.

During Nazario’s lengthy research, she met 17-year-old Enrique in a Mexican migrant shelter. She retraced his 1600 mile journey that included traveling atop freight trains. Movingly, she reveals the desperation and determination that marks Enrique’s desire to find the woman who deserted him. When he was five growing up in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, his mother Lourdes fled to the US for work so she could send money back; she encourages him to be patient and that they will reunite soon. After 11 years, the disillusioned boy joins thousands of other immigrant children who followed similar paths to find the love they are missing. The reconciliation is bittersweet as the plight of illegal aliens threatens to destroy a dream.

Judith A. Hayn
Little Rock, AR

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
Putnam, 2013, pp. 480, $18.99

Science Fiction/Identity
ISBN: 978-1-399-16241-1

Yancey delivers a dystopian, post-apocalyptic thriller featuring a kick-butt heroine. Aliens have come to destroy Earth’s inhabitants through a series of ever-worsening Waves. Once an ordinary high school girl with a crush on a guy who doesn’t know she is alive, Cassie Sullivan is now struggling for her own survival while seeking her younger brother, who vanished when children were transported out of a refugee camp. Packing a Luger and M-16, she dodges her relentless pursuers, including unyielding drones and ruthless snipers. Evan Walker rescues her from freezing to death after she is shot, and the two experience moments of closeness. Five-year-old Sammy is imprisoned at Camp Haven, a massive concentration facility designed to winnow out the weak, convert the inmates, and train killing machines. Who can she rely on when the Others are us and we are them? Will her obsession with a boy from the past doom or save her?

Judith A. Hayn
Little Rock, AR

Frostbite by Richelle Mead, adapted by Leigh Dragoon
Penguin Group, 2012, 152 pp., $12.99

Graphic Novel / Supernatural
ISBN: 978-1-59514-430-0

Like other teens, Rose Hathaway goes to school, has a crush, and deals with her embarrassing mom. But unlike most other teens, Rose is a dhampir—a half-human, half-vampire training to become a guardian in the battle between good and evil. Rose’s main goal is to protect her best friend Lissa, a vampire princess with the special power to control the spirit element.

Protecting Lissa is not always easy for Rose as she navigates relationships with boys, family, and friends. However, when some students leave their safe haven to attack the Strigoi, a group of evil vampires, Rose learns how far she will go to protect her loved ones and how she can use her intellect and powers to fight for good. This graphic adaptation of Richelle Mead’s original series tells Rose’s action-packed story in both words and stunningly bright pictures for a comprehensive story experience.

Laura Cockman
Fishers, IN

Hereville: How Mirka Met a Meteorite by Barry Deutsch
Amulet Books, 2012, 128 pp., $16.95

Graphic Novel/Adventure
ISBN: 978-1-4197-0398-0

Mirka Herschberg, the eleven-year-old Orthodox Jewish heroine, is back and she’s still marching to the beat of her own drum. After being un-grounded for sneaking out at night, fighting a troll, and talking to a witch, Mirka finds herself in trouble again. When a troll summons a destructive meteorite toward the Earth, a witch uses a few strands of Mirka’s hair to transform the meteorite into Metty, Mirka’s doppelganger.Metty is not only clever, intelligent, and better at basketball, but also determined to replace Mirka. As Mirka plans to get rid of Metty, she starts to understand that being yourself—even if you are silly, goofy, or clumsy—is better than having a perfect copy of yourself.

Deutsch’s story is colorful and captivating in the way that it incorporates Jewish culture and faith. Hereville places great emphasis on the importance of understanding that everyone is special in their own way.

David Chang
Chicago, IL

Hunter Moran Saves the Universe by Patricia Reilly Giff
Holiday House, 2012, 125 pp., $ $16.95

Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-8234-1949-4

Hunter and Zach Moran might have been the twins who originated the phrase “Double Trouble.” Armed with only their wits and good intentions, Hunter and Zach must find a way to intervene before a sinister dentist, Dr. Digilo, sets off a bomb in their town— blowing the whole place to smithereens. The boys juggle nosy parents, tag-along siblings, and the preparations for their town’s “Lester Tinwitty Day,” all while attempting the save the universe. Everything comes down to last seconds—either before the town’s celebration, or before the town will meet its end.

Two-time Newbery Honor medalist Reilly Giff writes characters that charm readers who are thrilled to be along on their adventures. Her latest novel lands right in the middle of mountains of mischief and will not leave her audience disappointed

Rachel Marie Morris
Brooklyn, New York

Hurricane Heat by Steven Barwin
Orca, 2013, 162 pp., $9.95

Realistic/Athletics
ISBN: 978-1-4598-0213-1

It’s been five years since Travis’s parents died in a car crash and he was separated from his sister Amanda. After Amanda sends a mysterious postcard, Travis ventures to California in hopes of finding his lost sibling. While seeking information, Travis meets Ethan, who discovers Travis’s baseball skills and convinces him to join a summer league. Travis instantly becomes a top player and is even gaining attention from scouts. However, when baseball and the search for his sister start to conflict, Travis must decide what is most important for his life and future.

As Travis’s summer comes to an end, he reaches the peak of his search and baseball season. Although the climactic moment is perhaps underplayed after the built suspense, Travis’s struggle of balancing adolescent concerns, baseball, and family becomes a very relatable experience. Hurricane Heat does a sufficient job in establishing the value of responsibility and familial importance.

Aly Martin
Nashville, TN

In Too Deep by Norah McClintock
Lerner, 2013, 218 pp., $17.99

Mystery/Juvenile Delinquency
ISBN: 978-0-7613-8318-5

Robyn moves to a sleepy town up north with her friend Morgan. The town seems pretty safe when they first arrive, but Robyn notices the townspeople’s anxiety about a home for at-risk youth. It’s a spot for teenage boys who come from troubled families and is run by controversial Jerry Wilson, who teaches the boys auto repair and self-discipline. Robyn believes that Jerry’s boys are polite and helpful after they help her to fix her car, but her boyfriend, Nick, believes that someone at Jerry’s place killed his friend’s brother.

Robyn decides to help, writing an article for the newspaper as a cover for her investigation. She finds out too much and is in danger. Finally, murder looms, with Robyn, Nick and Morgan targeted as the victims. McClintock keeps her narrative and sentence structure simple, making her story accessible to less skilled readers.

Wenjing Luo
China

Island of Thieves by Josh Lacey
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011, 228 pp., $15.99

Action/Adventure
ISBN: 978-0-547-76327-9

Two things come easily to Tom Trelawney: getting bored and getting in trouble. When his parents need somebody to take care of him while they go on vacation alone, only his mysterious Uncle Harvey is willing to take in such a troublemaker. But Uncle Harvey is a troublemaker, too. As soon as Tom arrives at his house, Uncle Harvey whisks him off to Peru to seek out a long-lost treasure.

As he searches for secret treasure, Tom learns secrets about his own family. He is also able to help Uncle Harvey find the treasure through his knowledge of history. Island of Thieves links historical theory with action-packed adventure in a way that leads readers to speculate about how what they have learned about the past may impact their present and how they can discover secrets about their own histories.

Laura Cockman
Fishers, IN

Lauren Yanofsky Hates the Holocaust by Leanne Lieberman
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011, 228 pp., $15.99

Orca, 2013, 227 pp., $12.95
ISBN: 978-1-4598-0109-7

Lauren Yanofsky, as the name suggests, loathes the Holocaust, despite her Jewish background. With a father who studies the Holocaust and a family history affected by the Holocaust, the Holocaust has a way of constantly popping up in Lauren’s life. However, when Lauren’s would-be boyfriend partakes in a game that involves wearing swastikas and pretending to be Nazis, Lauren immediately runs into a personal conflict. Lauren is forced to consider if she can really date a guy who is insensitive to her past and if she should tell someone about the game.

With her relationship on the line, Lauren must decide whether to do the right thing or suppress her heritage. Throughout her personal dilemmas, Lauren learns more about her past, and more importantly, more about herself. She struggles with tough decisions even as she struggles with the challenges of growing up. With the conflict of love versus beliefs, Lauren has to make mature decisions about how she is going to live her life.

Spencer Hoddeson
Nashville, TN

The Lives We Lost by Megan Crewe
Hyperion, 2013, 288 pp., $13.28

Adventure/Teen Fiction
ISBN: 978-1-4231-4617-9

Crewe’s suspenseful second novel in The Fallen World series opens with heroine Kaelyn discovering a potentially lifesaving vaccine developed by her deceased father, a renowned scientist in their island community. As a deadly pandemic sweeps across North America, she rallies her friends on a journey to the mainland in search of researchers who can reproduce the healing medicine and rid their world of devastation once and for all. Their harrowing adventure brings them face to face with violence, desperation, and their worst fears, and reveals the tension between morality and survival in apocalyptic times. Kaelyn displays courage and incredible selflessness in the midst of overwhelming danger, all the while struggling with what to think about the crumbling world around her. The Lives We Lost blends many elements of a great story—secret romance, anticipation, and characters with depth.

Rebekah Capps
Nashville, TN

Maybe I Will by Laurie Gray
Luminis Books, 2013, 206 pp., $14.95

Teen Fiction
ISBN: 978-1-935462-70-5

Is an act of sexual violence more traumatizing for a female victim than a male? Maybe I Will shares the story of a teenager who is the object of a nonconsensual sexual act. Sandy’s two closest friends turn away when they are needed the most. Other adults do not seem to care or do not believe. Lost, confused, and violated, Sandy turns to alcohol as a numbing agent and best friend. All the childhood dreams and ambitions are diluted.

Not only does this story tell one victim’s response to sexual assault, it questions the meaning, or lack thereof, of gender roles as Sandy’s gender is never revealed. Readers can directly relate to Sandy as they are able to make him/her relevant to their personal experiences. Sandy deals with the assault the same way—the same trauma, the same betrayal, and the same substance abuse—regardless of her/his gender.

Anna Lee
Minnestrista, MN

The Morning Star by Robin Bridges
Delacorte, 2013, 288 pp., $17.99

Fantasy
ISBN: 978-1-385-74026-5

Katerina Alexandrovna. the young Duchess of Oldenburg, dreams of becoming a doctor, not a necromancer. Tsar Alexander will not allow her to attend medical school, so she continues her studies with Tibetan medic Dr. Badmaev. Her love for the Tsar’s son, the ailing George Alexandrovich, is threatened by her desire to learn how to cure him. Vampires, werewolves, shape shifters, and wizards populate the Kremlin of Romanov Russia as Katerina’s former fiancé Crown Prince Danilo returns. The illicit tsar Konstantin has inhabited Danilo’s soul and now seeks the Morning Star, an ancient sword that will enable a necromancer to command a magical army. He also intends to marry Katerina and gain the throne. Kidnapped by Danilo, Katerina seeks the sword in Egypt. Will she wield the Morning Star to save Russia, and will her love for George win out over evil in the final volume of the Katerina trilogy?

Judith A. Hayn
Little Rock, AR